Conveyer.



No, 802,229. PATENTED OOT. 17, 1905. O. I). MOSES.

GONVEYER.

APPLICATION I-ILED FEB.27.1905.

TINTTIETI ESTATES rafrunir ()FFICE.

CQNVEYER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 17, 1905.

Application filed February 27,1905. Serial No. 247,452.

To LL whom it fluty concern:

Be it known that I, Own 1). Moses, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Conveyors, of which the following isaspeci- Iication.

This invention relates to conveyers for transferring articlessuch as boxes, barrels, baskets, or other packages from place to place; and the special object of my invention is to produce an apparatus of this kind that is adapted for loading and unloading such articles from boats to wharves, or vice versa, though it will be apparent that the apparatus is so designed as to be used in loading or unloading boxes, &c., from cars to platforms or for transferring packages from one point to another with the minimum amount of manual handling of such packages.

A further object of my invention is to produce an apparatus that can be readily moved from place to place and which can be adjusted so as to conveniently handle articles where they are at one level at the loading end of the apparatus and at a different level at the unloading end of same.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this application, I have illustrated a preferred adaptation of my invention in an apparatus which may be said to represent a single unit which is capable of being multiplied indefinitely.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my apparatus in preferred form with the endless apron removed. Fig. 2 is a plan view, on a larger scale, showinga portion of the endless apron and conveyer-frame. Fig. 3 is a detail in section of one of the legs preferably used in connection with the apparatus, and. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail showing a connection between the legs and the frame of the apparatus.

Referring to the drawings in detail, A represents the upper tubular member of the legs used in supporting the central or main portion of the frame of my machine. These legs are composed of iron pipe of suitable diameter and are cut away at their upper ends, as at a, and fitted with a block (4 which is secured in place, and are bolted to the side bars I) of the frame to be described. Slidably arranged in the lower portion of the member A is an extensible tubular member a in the lower end of which is fitted a block a which serves as a bearing for the journal a of the caster a. The member a is held in adjusted position in the member A by asetscrew (0 which has a threaded engagement with a suitable opening through the walls of the member A. and has its inner end impinging upon the outer walls of the member (b From the construction of the leg described it will be apparent that it may be lengthened or shortened, as may be desired, by adjusting the member (6 and that the caster a will turn on its axis, (represented by the journal a I have shown three of these legs secured on each side of the main portion of the conveyerframe; but it will be apparent that as many may be used as the length of the frame and the work for which the apparatus is designed requires.

As means of bracing the connection between the legs and the side brace b I have shown diagonally-placed rods a the lower ends of which are secured to clamps a", fitted around the members A, and the outer ends of said rods are secured in suitable openings in the frame side bars 7), all as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

The central legs, which support the frame of the conveyor, have secured to their lower ends in lieu of the casters (0 base-plates a thus preventing the accidental movement of the frame when in use.

To the outer ends of the conveyer and supporting the adjustable sections of the conveyer-frame, to be described, are legs composed of tubular members (1/, in which are slidably mounted other members a, in the upper ends of which are secured eyes a, which engage screw-eyes a, secured in the lower edge of the adjustable frame members 7), thus providing vertically-adjustable supports for this portion of the conveyer and permitting a certain amount of lateral movement in either the conveyer or the legs without having such movement communicated to the other member that is to say, if the legs A rest on the deck of a boat which moves or rocks from the action of the waves such movement within certain limitations will not be communicated to the conveyer, which will rest on the dock or be immovably supported. These legs are supplied with base-plates and set-screws, as in the legs under the main frame, and have the same range of adjustability.

The main frame of the conveyer consists of side bars 5 Z), which may be of angle-iron or flat bars, as shown, and same are connected together and braced at intervals by bars 6 which may be of wood or any other suitable material. Journaled in suitable openings in the side bars 7) are rollers 0, preferably made of wood and provided with spindles 0'. Secured to the ends of these rollers or, if desired, formed as a part thereof are sprockets c and on the spindle of the roller, mounted at the center of the frame, is a sprocket-Wheel 0 the spindle being extended at one end to receive said wheel. At each corner of the frame, constructed and supported as shown, are secured hinged plates 6, with which are pivotally connected side bars 6 of the adj ustable frame extensions. These side bars are also connected by cross-braces Z1 and are of the same general construction as used in the main frame, and sprocket hearing-rollers 0 are similarly mounted in the extension.

Rotatably mounted in the upper portion of each of the hinged plates is a sprocket-idler 0", and rotatably mounted on the under side of the side bars 6 at each end of the main frame is a roller-idler c". Arranged on the sprockets 0 and under the idlers 0 and over the rollers 0* along each side of the apparatus is an endless sprocket-chain D, which is driven from the sprockets on the central roller 0, the latter being driven in turn by a sprocket-chain d, which is mounted on the sprocket c and is driven from a motor F, supported on a shelf f, which is hung from the side bars 1). Power is communicated to the motor F in any suitable manner, and any form of motor may be used. The idlers 0* o serve to take up the slack in the chain D resulting from the adjustment of the frame extensions and also serve as guides for said chain at the points indicated. Secured to the sprocket-chain D in any suitable manner isan endless apron G, made of any suitable material and stifiened and strengthened by having secured to its upper surface a plurality of transverse ribs g, made of hard wood or metal, depending upon work for which the apparatus is designed. Instead of an endless apron of canvas I may use a plurality of wire rods for connecting the chains and forming a belt extending the full width of the frame, such arrangement not being shown, as it is well known in the art and the particular form of the traveling conveyer not being an essential element of this invention.

In an apparatus constructed substantially as herein shown and above described and supplied with an electric motor upon having electric current furnished to the motor it will be apparent that the endless conveyer or apron will be driven longitudinally on the frame. If it be desired to move the apparatus from place to place, the end sections can be raised and folded over on the main frame, and thus reducing the area occupied by the frame and rendering it more easily handled. In such case the legs at the center of the frame will be raised slightly, so that the apparatus may be freely rolled about on its casters. From the construction set forth it will be apparent that this apparatus combines the function of a trunk as well as an endless conveyer and is adapted to a Wide range of uses.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an apparatus of the character described, a main frame, adjustable legs secured to and supporting said frame, casters pivotally mounted in said legs, an endless conveyer mounted on said frame, and means for driving said conveyer.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, a main frame, adjustable legs secured to and supporting said frame, casters mounted in said legs, an endless conveyer mounted on said frame and means for driving said conveyer, said means mounted on said frame.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, a main frame, adjustable legs secured to and supporting said frame, some of the legs having casters mounted therein and other legs having base-plates attached thereto, an endless beltmounted on said frame and means for driving said belt.

4:. In an apparatus of the character described, a main frame, adjustable legs secured to and supporting said frame, a supplemental frame having a hinged connection at one end of said main frame, adjustable legs secured to and supporting in part said supplemental frame, an endless conveyer mounted on said main frame and supplemental frame and means for driving said conveyer.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, a main frame, adjustable legs secured to said frame, a supplemental frame hingingly connected With said main frame, adjustable legs hingingly connected with said supplemental frame, an endless conveyer mounted on said main frame and supplemental frame and means for driving said conveyer.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

OVID D. MOSES.

\Vitnesses:

F. BENJAMIN, H. DE Los HIGMAN. 

